Engine tuning help

[Highwood Malibu]

So I am getting the preparations ready to do a west coast Canada USA interior road trip this August and I want to get the Malibu's engine running as close to perfect as possible.

Te Engine is a Chev 1982 Camaro 350. Stock Cam I think, not sure on the heads but they are not after market. Running an Edelbrock carb, not sure what model. I know this ain't great information but it is all I know from when I bought the car.

Problems:
Popping from the drivers exhaust after a high rev in neutral, coming down to idle speed.(I have an exhaust leak, which will be fixed)
Rough in drive idle: The car shakes a little when in drive and sitting at the lights. In neutral the vibrations go away.

Things I have done recently,

Drivers side of the engine had a tappet making noise so I tuned the rockers on that side. Couldn't tune the other side because my socket won't fit between the cover and the bolt on the one corner. After this the engine made no tappets noises and an great.

I have not checked the timing yet.

i am just wondering what might cause these vibrations, they are not violent, just annoying. And is the popping in the exhaust possibly due to the leak?

Ideas?

 

[jrm81bu]

The popping could be caused by an exhaust leak. But it concerns me that you also tightened the valves on the same side. Did the popping start before or after you set the valves?
You may also want to play with the idle a/f mixture screws to see if you can clean up the idle. Along with checking your timing.

Las thing to note 82 Camaro's didn't have 350's in them so you may want to get the suffix code and find out for sure what you have. It will be found on the pad in front of the passenger side head right behaind the alternator. While your looking at numbers, get the one from the front passenger side of the carb too, It's 4 digits and close to the mounting bolt.

 

[Highwood Malibu]

Okay update

I tightened down the bottom or the headers which made the car quieter but it also solved more then a few issues also.

Firstly: after tightening the exhaust, there was no more popping from the exhaust on revving and you could here a difference (back pressure?)
Second: After tightening the headers down by the pipes I also noticed that the engine vibration is less apparent now.
Third: engine code found it to be a 350
Fourth: After reconnecting the header to the drivers side exhaust I now can see steam once again when it is raining, coming from the exhaust pipe down that side.

Talked to a friend who has worked on these engines for years before I did this and he said it was nothing but a exhaust leak and that the engine ran fine accept for being a bit rich.

So now that that buts my fears to rest haha, time to tune the carb.

 

[mr evil]

So I am getting the preparations ready to do a west coast Canada USA interior road trip this August

Give a heads up if you're getting as far west as Vancouver Island, I'll buy some beer and put you to work on the Cutlass for a few hours :lol: